More juvenile glory for O'Brien
Aidan O’Brien tightened his grip on the betting for the Classics with a Group One double thanks to Horatio Nelson and Rumplestiltskin at Longchamp.
Kieren Fallon went straight into the lead on Horatio Nelson in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and he always looked to have matters well under control.
After seeing off the challenge of Sylvester Kirk’s Opera Cape, the son of Danehill drew readily clear to score in good style by one and a half lengths from the British challenger.
Horatio Nelson was cut two points to 10-1 by William Hill for the Derby, but remains a 10-1 shot for the 2000 Guineas.
Totesport go 8-1 for Epsom and 6-1 from 8-1 for the Rowley Mile Classic, while Paddy Power go 8-1 for both races. Coral have cut the colt’s odds to 7-1 from 10-1 for the 2000 Guineas and quote him at 8-1 for the blue riband.
O’Brien said: “We haven’t ruled out the Breeders’ Cup. He is a staying horse, but he has also got plenty of speed.
“You only need to look at his times to see that he is quick and I don’t think a mile of the Guineas would be too sharp for him.”
Kirk said of Opera Cape: “We’ve been beaten by a very good horse. That was my first Group One runner and I can’t complain with coming second.
“We’ll start him off next season in the Greenham and see what happens.”
Rumplestiltskin cemented her position at the head of the betting for the 1000 Guineas with a narrow but convincing victory in the Prix Marcel Boussac.
She came from an unpromising position under Fallon from her wide draw to lead well inside the final furlong and get the better of Quiet Royal and the Clive Brittain-trained Deveron by one length and one and a half.
Coral were most impressed and cut her odds for the Newmarket Classic next spring to 3-1 from 7-1, with Ladbrokes longest at 5-1.
“Kieren gave her a masterful ride,” O’Brien said. “It looked like she wasn’t going to get any room, but he said he always hoped it would drop right for him.
“She stays a mile well and she is a possible for the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Fillies’).”
Fallon added: “She didn’t have the best of draws and there was always the possibility that we would find trouble in running. The gaps opened when I needed them to and she has done it well.
“She’s a very good filly with a very big future.”
Brittain was delighted with Deveron’s effort and said: “Kerrin (McEvoy) said if he hadn’t been hampered they would have finished much closer.
“She will be trained for the UAE Guineas.”
There was a turn-up in the Prix de l’Opera when rank outsider Kinnaird emerged victorious to provide Middleham trainer Patrick Haslam with his first Group One success.
The consistent but luckless filly had not won since the May Hill Stakes in 2003 and put the record straight under a determined ride from Kevin Darley.
She led well over a furlong out and held on gamely when strongly pressed by O’Brien’s runner Mona Lisa and hot favourite Alexander Goldrun.
The post arrived in time and she prevailed by a head and three-quarters of a length.
Haslam was also on the mark at Kelso with Kerry’s Blade and he was represented by his wife Anne.
After after greeting the 69-1 shot on the pari-mutuel, she said: “It’s easy to say so now but Patrick really felt that he had her at her best today.
“She’s been very unlucky for the past couple of seasons with a couple of little injuries, but we’d had a clear run coming in today’s race, she was as fit as she could be and all we needed was soft ground and a bit of luck.
“She really deserved this. We’ve been waiting for this sort of ground for so long.
“She may go to Canada now for the E P Taylor Stakes and could possibly stay there to be covered by a very good stallion.”
O’Brien said Mona Lisa would now head to Belmont Park for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Despite her defeat Alexander Goldrun remains on course for the Hong Kong International Cup at Sha Tin in December, a race she won last year.
Her trainer Jim Bolger said: “She broke well, she had a good passage, she just never picked up.
"We reckon it was just an off day.
“Hong Kong will be next on the agenda.
“The plan has always been for her to stay in training next year, but I suppose we’ll have to see.”
Alcazar ran his usual good race when he dead-heated for second place in the Prix du Cadran.
Hughie Morrison’s evergreen 10-year-old was unsuited by the steady early pace and was caught flat-footed when the tempo increased.
But to his credit he stuck on well, albeit too late to trouble Reefscape. He got up on the line to share second with Ostankino, two lengths adrift of the winner.
His jockey, Michael Fenton, said: “They went a bit steady for me.”
Morrison put a brave face on defeat and added: “You can’t win when you are that far off the pace.
“It looked quite a winnable Cadran this year, but we’ve come second in a Group One and you can’t complain too much.
“Provided he stays sound he’ll be back in training next year.”
Reefscape was scoring at his first attempt at the marathon trip of two and a half miles and he will be prepared for a tilt at the Gold Cup next year.
“A more genuine horse you couldn’t dream for – he goes on any ground,” said his trainer Andre Fabre.
“He will stay in training next year and will be back for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
“We’ll have to see if he stays in a truly-run race but why not have a go?”
The victory was owner Khalid Abdullah’s first in the Group One stamina test.
